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In a quiet hospital room at Boston Medical Center, 11-year-old Andrew Anthony 'AJ' Lloyd lies still, machines gently beeping around him.

He cannot speak, eat on his own, or walk, but his eyes, wide and expressive, are full of life. His mother, Nicola, watches closely, holding his hand and refusing to let go of hope.

"We have to keep pressing for AJ," she told THE STAR. "If we stop fighting for him, if we stop believing who is going to take up the mantle?"

Nicola and her husband, Andrew, have been in the US with AJ and their two-year-old daughter for nearly nine months. It's a journey built on desperation, faith, and fierce love. They left Jamaica in search of life-saving care for AJ, who has endured a staggering list of medical challenges since infancy. AJ was first diagnosed with global developmental delay and a seizure disorder as a baby. Recently, doctors added Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy that causes frequent and difficult seizures, as well as spastic quadriplegia, a neurological condition that causes stiffness and weakness in all four limbs. It makes movement and coordination extremely difficult.

"He has so much going on," Nicola said. "But I truly believe that the diagnoses will stop one day. I'm grateful the doctors are figuring things out. At least now, he's getting the treatment he needs."

AJ started school in Boston in October 2024, but his health took a sharp downturn in February. He caught adenovirus, a respiratory illness that, while mild for many children, became life-threatening for AJ due to his already weakened immune system.

"In the past, he's had pneumonia, COVID, and the flu," Nicola said. "This virus just knocked him out. He was in the hospital from February through March." During his month-long hospital stay, doctors noticed AJ was choking on food. That led to a major surgery in March where he received a gastrostomy tube (G-tube), a device that delivers nutrition directly to the stomach.

"At first, I knew it was serious," Nicola admitted. "But when we came here, that's when I realised just how serious it really was. The G-tube saved his life. It gives him all his nutrients now, and he's gaining weight."

The journey has been deeply emotional. Nicola admitted that in the early years of AJ's life, she felt ashamed of her child.

"I would see other parents doing things with their children that I just couldn't do with AJ. Even though we were seeking help, I felt like I wasn't doing enough," she said. Then, something shifted.

"A word of encouragement came to me and asked, 'Why are you ashamed of him?' And I had to stop and say, 'no more.' I'm going to try my best for my child."

"If I follow everyone's opinion, what's the point?" she asked. "Who will be the voice for AJ? We have to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves. People will bash you, criticise you, but we have to see beyond that and move forward."

AJ's journey to the US began years ago. In 2019, the Lloyds had travelled there for medical care, but were forced to return home due to financial challenges. By 2022, Nicola, then pregnant with her youngest child, started quietly sharing with friends and family that they wanted to go back. They arrived in Boston about eight months ago. Nicola is now a full-time caregiver, while their printing business in Jamaica remains inactive. They live in a shelter and rely on food pantries and a local family resource centre for essentials like food cards, diapers, and wipes.

"It's hard," she said. "But emotionally, what keeps us going, is our faith. It's just me and my husband but we have a support system, and we keep praying and believing."

Despite everything, Nicola says the signs of progress are clear. AJ has gained weight and is getting better nutrition.

"He's way more attentive and aware. He looks right at you now. He's happy," she said. "When we put him to stand, he's more than willing. He's not crying like before. And his seizures? They're minimal now. That's huge for us."

Still, AJ's care requires ongoing financial support. The family continues to seek help for therapy, housing, and future treatments.

"AJ can't say thank you," Nicola said. "But if you saw his eyes when he stands, when he tries, you'd know he's grateful. We just want him to have that chance."

Anyone wishing to support the Lloyds care for their son AJ, can contact them via WhatsApp at (774) 506-3609.